Work With Me People
by DaughterOfAres
Summary: A series of oneshots in which the Major Crimes Division contemplates the "Work With Me People" sign in Captain Raydor's office. This also works as a series of episode tags for the first season. The entire division has now expressed their thoughts on the sign.
1. Lieutenant Provenza

**Just a little something inspired by a review for Modern Art. A reviewer mentioned that she would like to have seen Julio's thoughts on the "Work with Me People" sign in Raydor's office. Well, it got me thinking that maybe all of Major Crimes had thoughts on that sign.**

**My goal is to, eventually, have a short little oneshot about each person's thoughts on that sign. Each will stand alone, so I'm marking this as complete. But I will add future oneshots as chapters to this story.**

**This first one takes place in the first season after "Before and After," but before "Medical Causes."**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

_**Lieutenant Provenza**_

_Work With Me People_

He squinted to read the sign from the seat she'd _forced_ him to take. Like hell he'd work with her.

It was a new decoration. It hadn't been in her old office. He'd been in her old office enough times to know, by heart, what her décor looked like in the days when she had haunted the pits of hell - or _Internal Affairs_, as she called it-. Right down to the name "Emily" scratched neatly into the bottom corner of her desk. It was small, barely noticeable, and Provenza doubted that the Wicked Witch even knew it was there. He remembered seeing it the first time, years ago. It had made him instantly like the little girl who had etched each letter so carefully.

He wondered if that desk had been sold along with the rest of their old furniture.

It was probably the Wicked Witch's idea to sell all of it. She'd probably found out her daughter had defaced her desk, and- after beating the child within an inch of her life- had decided that she needed a new desk. Then she'd noticed the new desk wouldn't match all the other desks and décor, and, well, one _had_ to constantly color coordinate.

Okay. Fine. That wasn't completely fair. The Witch loved her kids. Even other people's kids if Rusty was any indication.

She'd probably only _threatened_ to beat the girl, and maybe starved the child a bit.

_Work With Me People_

He almost snorted when he read it again, but then she'd know for sure he wasn't listening to her drone on and on about ways to stay under budget. Really, what did he care about that? It's not like he was the one in charge. Although, he hated to admit some of her ideas were rather…not horrible. Like sending Amy or Julio down to the shooting range with some cadets once a month. The detectives would still get their hours – but they'd come from someone else's budget- plus Major Crimes' budget would increase since they'd received a small portion of the federal funding reserved for training police officers. She'd also wanted his opinion on sending Buzz to a few LAPD training courses. It wouldn't make him a police officer, but it would make him more useful in the field. They wouldn't have to pay him more for taking the classes-just pay for the classes themselves. She thought it would be worthwhile investment.

Goddamn Witch.

She was winning them over, too. Several of the team had been partially won over long before her transfer. It was that damn beanbag gun. She'd definitely earned Julio's respect that day, and Mike's too.

He supposed it was an impressive shot.

_Work With Me People _

He'd bet his pension it was a going away present from the Underworld. Internal Affairs had probably been happy to send her off, and even happier to force her onto Major Crimes. They couldn't pass up the irony of buying her that. He'd have to send someone down there to find out. Maybe Rusty would be willing to talk to someone down there…he wandered around the building enough anyway…the kid probably knew as many people in the building as he did.

"If you're done admiring my decorating skills, Lieutenant, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the subject." She smiled, but her eyebrows were raised, and her lips pressed together just slightly. It was the look she gave Rusty when she knew whatever he was saying wasn't completely honest, and that if she just let him keep talking he'd eventually groan and tell her the whole story. Complete with theatrics, of course.

Damn woman.

He didn't say anything. Just raised an eyebrow and smiled.

She leaned back in her chair, relaxing slightly. Her arms rested on the armrests, and, turned upwards, her fingers did that thing where her thumb rubbed against her other digits - almost as though she were counting.

"It was a gift" she said, at long last.

He let his confusion show, deepening the wrinkles between his eyebrows.

"The sign." She gestured with a slight movement of her head without actually looking at it.

"Hmm…From your friends in IA?"

"No."

Well, damn. It wasn't often he was wrong.

She continued, "From Chief Johnson."

It wasn't often he was surprised either.

The surprise must have shown in the way the wrinkles between his eyes nearly disappeared as his eyebrows rose which deepened a new set of wrinkles on his forehead.

"Agent Howard dropped it off, but the note was from her. Amongst other things, she said that she'd wished that those words had been tattooed on her forehead for the first few months she'd worked with Priority Homicide."

He missed those days. Some more than others.

He wondered what Internal Affairs got her, then.

"Internal Affairs just pitched in for a very lovely card and a gift card that they placed inside the case of Star Wars DVDs. The originals, of course."

The deep wrinkles left his forehead and moved back between his eyes. He could feel his slight confusion once again fall back into place. Damn this woman for making him look older than he already did.

She rolled her eyes, but her hands stopped their movement as she leaned forward with a smile that was…well…playful…almost. _Almost_. "You don't really think I'm oblivious to what people call me, do you? I'm rather proud of my Darth Raydor reputation."

He shook his head, and rolled _his_ eyes. "Send Amy to play nice with the Cadets. She'll enjoy it. Julio would just enjoy scaring them. And I'm sure Buzz would be thrilled to do something different that would help "poor old Lieutenant Provenza" with anything just as long as he got to rub it in later."

"I'll be sure to mention that to him when I talk to him about it." Her smile had shifted. She was all business again, but her posture remained more relaxed.

"You do that." He got up to leave not waiting for an actual dismissal. He paused once he was standing however. "I liked your old desk better."

He felt rather vindicated when her head tilted in confusion and a few of her own wrinkles appeared around her eyes. It was too short a moment, however. Understanding dawned quickly.

"Would you like me to have my daughter carve her name into your desk the next time she visits? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help."

Of its own accord his hand rose slightly, and his finger pointed at her. Slashing in short movements through the air occasionally for emphasis. "You keep all of your children away from my desk, Captain. I only put up with "artwork" and whining when it comes from _my grandchildren_, now."

She wasn't trying very hard not to laugh.

He shook his head. "Just promise me you're not hiding another brat under your desk. I don't know how many more mini-Raydor's the LAPD can handle."

She sat up straight, adopted an exaggerated look of shock, and her voice rose an octave in pitch. "Oh, my! Is that where I lost that child? I was wondering where she'd run off too."

He rolled his eyes as he snorted, and headed out of the office.

"Thank you, Lieutenant, for your input." Her tone was once against all business, and filled with sincerity.

He stepped outside of the office, and closed the door behind him.

_Work With Me People._

Yeah. Right. Like that would ever happen.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? Concerns? Whose internal dialog would you like to hear next? Is it time for the second half of season three, yet? Please?<strong>


	2. Lieutenant Flynn

**This one takes place at the very end of the season one episode "Medical Causes."**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

_**Lieutenant Flynn**_

_Work With Me People_

He'd done a pretty crappy job at that.

She hadn't even asked a lot of him. Babysit the kid. Take him to meet his mother. That was it.

There was a soft light on in her office, somewhere. It illuminated the interior just enough to see the sign leaning against the wall on top of the bookcase. He stared at it. Hoping to be disrupted by the ringing of the phone that would tell him they'd located Rusty. The boy he'd lost.

It wasn't like her to forget to turn the lights out. That alone was an indication on how upset she was. Just in case anyone had missed the thickness in her voice when she left.

That voice wasn't something he'd be forgetting anytime soon. The really telling part about it, though, he thought, was that they'd _heard _the voice at all. He'd never seen her show emotion in all the years he'd known her. In all the interviews and investigations where he'd been close to flipping tables at having his conduct questioned she had barely even blinked. But she had _let_ them hear the barely suppressed tears in her voice. She'd _let _them hear a sob that was painfully close to the surface. She'd let them hear all of that, and told them "great work." That wasn't something she had to do. She could have just walked out after saying goodnight. None of them would have known just how close to tears she had been.

Instead, she'd sacrificed part of her emotional distance just to tell them "good job."

She hadn't wanted to give that up. That was just as obvious. But she had.

_Work With Me People_

He should really go find the light she left on, and turn it off.

When he found out about her transfer to Major Crimes he'd wanted to hit his head against a wall. Not only would they have to put up with someone who'd _never _worked homicide, but they'd have to deal with an emotionless bitch, at that.

So much for getting confessions.

So much for the highest close rate not only in the LAPD, but the _country._

Criminals didn't confess unless they thought the person listening would understand. Unless there was a connection. She didn't really foster connections with others.

Working with her wasn't something people aspired to.

_Work With Me People_

He pressed a hand over both eyes allowing it to sit there for a moment before dragging it down the rest of his face. His "It's-after-midnight" shadow scrapped roughly against his hand. His eyes landed on the dimly illuminated sign again. He could use a cup of coffee. Hopefully, Provenza would bring him back one even though he'd told his partner he didn't want it.

He'd lost the kid.

_Lost_. A _kid._

He hadn't been a good father. He knew that. But he'd never lost his children before, either. He wondered if they'd talk to him if he called them right now. Just to make sure they were okay. That they weren't lost. Or on the streets. That they weren't cold and hungry.

His eyes flickered to the time display on his phone. It was after midnight. It was too late to call. And they probably didn't want to talk to him anyway. They usually didn't.

His eyes went back to the sign.

_Work With Me People_

He'd fully expected that Sharon "Darth" Raydor the Wicked Witch of Internal Affairs would have launched into a soliloquy on his irresponsibility when he saw her. He'd expected her to use things against him with the sole intent of hurting him. And he'd expected her to do it in front of the whole team.

He'd expected to hear things like: "how could you lose him?", "how could you turn your back on him even for a second?", and "were you drunk again?"

He hadn't expected her to say "It's not your fault. We'll keep looking."

"Stop it."

Flynn glanced up at his partner, who was suddenly standing next to his desk holding two cups of coffee.

"Stop what?" he took the coffee from his partner. "Thanks."

"You're thinking about the kid."

He stared at his partner, mouth open. "Yeah? So? It is why we're sitting here getting overtime, isn't it?"

"None of us thought he would run off." Provenza stated.

"None of us thought his mother wouldn't show up either. What kind of mother does that?"

Provenza rolled his eyes heavenward. "You know exactly what kind. We've seen enough of them."

"Yeah," he agreed, "yeah, we have."

Both sipped their coffee for a moment.

"Not your fault." Provenza stated again.

Flynn smirked, "you're starting to sound like Captain Raydor."

The glare and triad he knew he was about to hear from his partner caused Flynn to laugh.

Provenza mumbled something he didn't catch.

"Hey," Flynn gestured to the sign in the office. "Who do you suppose got her that? Doubt she'd buy it for herself."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Gavin?" Flynn guessed. He thought Raydor might be friends with the attorney, and it seemed like something the lawyer would find funny.

Provenza's phone rang before he could answer, and the man moved quickly (well, quickly for him, Flynn thought) to pick it up.

Flynn listened eagerly for word on the kid.

Provenza hung up the phone, and sat down at his desk.

Flynn sighed. The kid had to turn up. Seriously. He _had_ to turn up. He ran a hand over his face again.

"We're not going to find him." He said out loud, as he stared at the sign again.

His partner grunted, but said nothing. Provenza knew the odds as well as he did.

_Work With Me People _

He took a sip of coffee that had been kept warm all day. She wasn't as horrible to work with as he had imagined.

She was a fast learner.

Ever since he'd told her that when working homicides it was good to know your victims by name she had learned their names. She hadn't forgotten that again. She spent almost 30 years perfecting the art of distance. It was the preferred stance when it came to Internal Affairs. Knowing names was the first step in bridging distance, so she had avoided names.

She hadn't asked for the transfer to Major Crimes. She knew that they knew how to do their jobs. She never questioned that. He could appreciate that. He could also appreciate that she was willing to learn what they had to teach her.

He could appreciate her understanding.

He'd _lost_ _her_ _kid_, and she hadn't even tried to blame him.

Distantly, he heard Provenza's phone ring again. He didn't get his hopes up this time.

"Rusty's home, Captain?"

Flynn's head snapped around at his partner's words. He stood and walked towards Provenza's desk.

"That's good to hear, Captain."

Flynn released a breath as his partner hung up the phone. "The kid's with her? He's okay?"

"Apparently," Provenza began with a shake of his head as he began dialing another number. "The kid was waiting for her when she got home."

He waited while Provenza called off the search.

"Ready?" His partner asked standing up, and pulling on his jacket.

"Yeah, yeah. Let me just get the light in her office." He gestured towards the office before walking in that direction.

Provenza made a noise of approval, and began straightening up his desk.

Flynn opened the office door, and raised his fingers to the single light-switch left in the "on" position. In the second before his fingers pushed down on the switch his eyes found the sign again.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Okay. He could do that.

* * *

><p><strong>So? Thoughts? I got this one finished faster than I intended, and I hope it meets everyone's expectations. Who would you like to see contemplate the sign next? Do you prefer the more humorous contemplations like Provenza's, or the more angsty ones like Flynn's? <strong>


	3. Buzz Watson

**This one is really short, I know. And it wouldn't be this long if it weren't for the wonderful Lady Lanera who had a much easier time crawling inside of Buzz's head than I did. We need more Buzz centered episodes. **

**This one takes places during The Ecstasy and the Agony in the gap between what we see going on at police station and Raydor dropping Rusty off at the condo.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Buzz**

_Work With Me People_

Was it even an option?

He didn't think so. If it were an option, Lt. Provenza would have opted out.

It's not like they hadn't already been working with her. Even if she wasn't their direct supervisor, she still outranked everyone on the team when she was helping with the lawsuit by following them around questioning everything they did. Everything. They. Did.

He closed his eyes for a moment. It had been a long day and promised to be an even longer night. His eyes were getting tired of staring at computer screens. She'd asked him to set the kid up with a computer so he could write an essay for school and to put very strict parental controls on it. Rusty wasn't supposed to be using it for anything except the one essay. The only one he'd been assigned before getting into a fight. On his first day of school.

The idiot kid had started screaming at her again for that. He'd smirked when the Captain-who was obviously nearing the end of her patience- asked him if he needed more time to think about his behavior and pointed out that the corner was still available for him to stand in if it would help him think. Rusty had glared at her and him. It was good to know that they had mutual feelings for each other.

Rusty then said something really horrible to her, using some of the worst language Buzz had ever heard. Which was saying something when one considered that a large portion of his job involved watching and listening to _criminals_ being interviewed.

He opened his eyes to look at the sign again.

_Work With Me People_

She'd asked him to continue working on the parental controls for the laptop before excusing herself and Rusty. He didn't know where she took him or what she was going to say to the kid, but he hoped the kid got the message _this_ time.

There were some things he'd admit that he liked about her more than about Chief Johnson. She wasn't nearly as self-centered for one. Instead of thinking she was the only one capable of getting confessions, she was willing to admit others could do it. She acknowledged that some people could do things better than she could. She didn't _just_ use people either. She helped others know and use their own strengths. She was fair.

Unless there was something standing between her and Park City where her kids were spending Christmas with her parents. Then she had no problems taking credit for other people's work. And manipulating people in order to get what she wanted.

He supposed that was her job, though. But she could have been _nicer _about it.

_Work With Me People_

There were some things he wasn't sure he liked about her. She didn't try to bend the rules. She did expect everyone to know the rules, and once known to follow them. Which could be inconvenient in their line of work. And he HATED babysitting for her. Taking the kid to school. Picking up coffee for everyone. He didn't get paid enough for that. And he was pretty sure that Lt. Provenza was right and that was against the rules, too. The rules that she held near and dear to her heart, even if she did spin it to sound like it was about upholding rules regarding the "education of minors" or whatever.

Buzz couldn't understand how it was possible that the boy didn't see how good of a deal she was giving him. Free computer to work on schoolwork, sending him to a good school that others would have killed for, buying him new clothes, and most of all putting up with his attitude. She had the patience of a saint. Had it been him, he'd have left Rusty in the system long ago and let him be someone else's problem. He wondered what point the Captain was trying to make with that.

She had a way of dealing with people. Either you were on her good side, or you were on her bad side. And she let you know when you were on her bad side. God did she let you know. The FBI saw that earlier. She gave them a thorough lecture about withholding vital information. Another of her rules, of course.

Rules. He was tired of rules.

Staring at the sign in her office, he sighed.

_Work with me People_.

Chief Johnson hadn't been too keen on the rules. Everyone knew that. She had been at first. In her first few years with the LAPD. He'd heard that in the very first case she'd worked with the LAPD that she had insisted the officers stop a search of the victim's garage because it wasn't attached to the house.

He wasn't sure when things had changed. When her search for justice had become a search for revenge. According to Goldman, it had started long before Philip Stroh. But who could believe Goldman?

It was likely the reason the Captain had become the head of Major Crimes. Because rules were needed again.

Something that Buzz hoped Rusty would realize one day. Before he finally pushed someone over the limit and got himself shot while standing in the middle of the Murder Room.

He'd made a bet with Julio that by the end of their first month together, the Captain would have Rusty saying "yes, ma'am" and saluting.

It looked like he was going to lose twenty dollars.

He sighed and went back to work on the parental controls.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Sure. They sorta needed to.

* * *

><p><strong>Ideas? Thoughts? Feelings? Tell me everything. <strong>

**One week before the return of Major Crimes!**


	4. DDA Hobbs

**This oneshot features Andrea Hobbs and takes place at the very end of Citizen's Arrest just before Sharon leaves with Rusty.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**DDA Hobbs**

_Work With Me People_

Provenza must have bought it for her. Or Flynn. Provenza would have bought her a Wicked Witch doll or a broom rather than a sign. Or maybe it was Taylor. She could see Taylor buying it for her and trying to make it sound like it was better than a promotion to Commander. Andrea could just imagine the look on the Captain's face.

She kept her eyes focused on the sign. If she looked out the window on her right into the conference room, she'd see things she didn't want to see anymore. They'd made the notification to the Barlows about their son and were now waiting for the distressed parents to calm down a little before Amy drove them to the hospital to be with their daughter.

She couldn't imagine what those parents were going through. To lose a child who was just starting out in life. If something happened to her own daughter—

She cut the thought off before it had time to fully form. She couldn't think about that. Her daughter was fine. Safe. She'd just gotten off the phone with her.

Andrea wondered if that's what Captain Raydor was doing now. Calling her own children after excusing herself from the conference room.

_Work With Me People_

She heard the door to the captain's office open and turned to see who it was.

Andrea wondered if her own face mirrored the pained expression she could see in Raydor's. Their eyes met and as soon as the shock of having someone unexpected waiting for her in her office passed, Andrea knew her face did indeed show the same emotions.

"DDA Hobbs," Raydor cleared her throat as she took a seat behind her desk holding her spine ramrod straight. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Andrea." She made no effort to elaborate further, but slouched down in chair a bit. She couldn't even pretend to have the energy to hold herself up straight anymore.

The captain didn't reply for a moment. Andrea could feel the other woman studying her, her posture still as perfect as ever. Finally, she leaned back in her own chair and glanced at the now empty conference room. The Barlows had left. Still tearful and heartbroken, but knowing their daughter needed them.

"It's been a long day, Captain," Andrea stated.

"Sharon," the captain corrected and let out a deep, controlled breath. "A very long day."

Andrea had heard nothing but horror stories about the woman sitting in front of her. They'd only met a few times, mostly in passing, but Andrea hadn't found it difficult to believe those stories. She'd never really worked with her before a couple of weeks ago, and she was having problems understanding where those stories came from. They weren't true, and, now, she couldn't even remember why she'd believed them in the first place.

Captain Ray…_Sharon_ was efficient and firmly believed in following the rules, of that there was no doubt. She possibly followed them a little too closely. Andrea would never tell her what had happened in the gun store. What she'd encouraged and condoned. Although, she wondered if _Sharon_ would have minded if it were one of her children being held hostage. She thought Sharon might actually know what had transpired anyway.

_Work With Me People_

The sign loomed ominously. Andrea wondered how a sign could do that. And why it would choose to do that. Maybe it wasn't the sign, but the overall atmosphere that surrounds a case in which a parent is forced to outlive their child.

"I called my daughter a little while ago." Andrea broke the comfortable silence that had descended. "She informed me that I was, _once again_, overreacting. That the chances of something horrible happening to her where nearly astronomical. She quoted me actual statistics, if you can believe it."

Sharon smiled faintly, which is about all a mother can smile after telling another mother that she'll never see her child again. "They can't understand," the captain replied, finally. "Our children."

"No, they can't." Andrea paused. "I don't think I want them to."

"I have to wait until tomorrow to call my daughter."

Andrea felt her brows draw together questioningly, and her lips moved to form a small circle in preparation for asking why.

She didn't need to ask, however. The captain read the question on her face and volunteered the answer. "She lives in New York. The time difference…"

Andrea nodded as the captain trailed off. "What about your…" she searched her memory trying to remember if the captain had two girls or one girl and one boy.

"I talked to my son. He's much more…" Sharon's hand made a bit of a twirling motion, but seemed too tired to finish it. "…well, we'll just call it resigned -to having me reassure myself of his wellbeing."

"And Rusty?"

If the captain were surprised at the implication that Rusty was one of her children, Andrea didn't notice it.

"He's easier to check on. I just stepped inside electronics for a moment and watched him on the monitors. I'll reassure myself more over dinner."

Andrea snorted. One side of her mouth curved upwards. "That is one thing I don't miss about having my daughter at home. Feeding her."

The rather high pitched noise of amusement that escaped through the captain's closed mouth surprised Andrea. It didn't seem to match the image she had in her head of the woman.

"I'm just thankful that I only have to feed one teenager, now."

A silent chuckle made Andrea's shoulders shake slightly.

Her eyes landed on the sign again.

_Work With Me People_

Work. Right. She sighed. "I know that my services are no longer needed in regards to this case…"

Andrea trailed off. The captain held her relaxed posture, but - if her tilted head and stare were anything to go by—she remained focused.

"What are you going to tell, Rusty?" Andrea asked finally, and watched as the captain looked away, lines forming around her mouth and eyes.

"The truth," Sharon finally, replied.

Andrea nodded. That was the right and honorable thing to do. She shouldn't have expected less from the Wicked Witch.

"Well…good luck." Andrea stood. "Until next time, Capta…_Sharon_."

The captain smiled. "Until next time. Thank you, Andrea."

"Goodnight." Andrea made her way out the door vaguely aware of Sharon returning the valediction as she gathered her own things together.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Good. Until the next deal then.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? Concerns? Sykes is up next! <strong>


	5. Detective Sykes

**Just a little something to keep you entertained while we wait for tonight's episode. **

**Takes place in the week following Out of Bounds. Just before the Shame Game.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Detective Sykes**

_Work With Me People_

She stared at the sign. Because if she looked at the captain, she would laugh.

And now was really not the time to laugh. Mostly because the captain looked horrified every time that Amy tried to smile.

Actually, now that Amy thought about it, the captain had looked horrified from the moment she'd seen Amy walk into the Murder Room. The ever so polite and reserved police captain had immediately shoved the file she was carrying at Tao and gone over to her before ushering her into her office. Amy had started to laugh, realizing too late that it hurt too much, and that the captain had seemed terrified Amy would break at any moment since then.

Obviously, the captain had never been to Afghanistan. Wounds like a dislocated jaw and a concussion were a dime a dozen there. And really the pain medication made the whole thing MUCH more tolerable. And funnier. Everything was much funnier. Even the sign.

_Work With Me People_

That hadn't really worked out. Working with Captain Sharon Raydor.

She'd worked with Captain Raydor when no one else would and got nothing to show for her trouble.

Well, except a job in the most elite department in the LAPD, if not the country. That would look really good on a résumé. She knew that brownnosing paid off, but who knew it paid off _that_ well. It didn't hurt that the captain probably wanted a little extra estrogen running around the department. One could, in fact, suffocate on excessive amounts of testosterone. Amy knew that from her time in Afghanistan. Not that the captain seemed bothered by being surrounded by testosterone all the time. It was almost like she didn't notice it when she came to work. Which was odd because she still managed to express a great deal of femininity. Perhaps after around thirty years of working in a profession that was very slowly incorporating equal numbers of men and women, one just didn't notice, anymore.

Regardless, Amy needed to focus on something else before she just flat out asked the captain how she did it, and if the captain had transferred her for the sole purpose of having another woman around.

She glanced back at the captain who was watching her while she slowly talked about the paperwork involved. The forms Amy needed to sign. How to get more time off if she thought she needed it. Amy wondered how the psych eval would go if she couldn't talk to the psychologist. She wondered if her badly beaten face and the horrendous bandage around her head to hold her jaw in place would have the same effect on the psychologist as it did on the captain.

She almost laughed again. If she kept this up, the captain would probably march her down to the psychologist herself.

_Work With Me People_

Amy looked at the sign again. The sign didn't make her laugh. At least not right now. Although the way the edges of sign were starting to move was rather funny.

Maybe taking the pain medication just before coming to the station wasn't such a good idea after all.

The station where she worked with Captain Sharon Raydor.

One's mind went funny places when one was in the hospital on some seriously good painkillers, and it was during that time that Amy realized her mistake. It wasn't about working with or even under Captain Raydor. It was about working with the rest of them. They were a team, and she was part of that team. She had the dislocated jaw to prove it. That thought almost made her smile, but doing that might somehow increase the horror written all over the captain's face.

Amy wondered briefly if she'd be able to make the woman cry.

She decided it would be best not to try because she had no doubt the captain could and would make _her_ cry if she figured out that Amy had tried to do that on purpose. That couldn't end well.

So, instead, she stared at the sign. It was probably filled with symbolism.

Symbolism.

She had hated that word since high school. A hate that had intensified in college. Symbols. One thing that could stand for an infinite number of other things. It didn't make sense. Still. The sign was definitely a symbol. But what was it a symbol of?

_Work With Me People_

"Amy?" The captain's quiet voice drew her eyes away from the sign.

Amy tried not to smile.

The captain smiled gently at her instead. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, Captain," Amy tried to say. When there's a bandage wrapped one's head, though, to keep one's mouth from opening fully, it's hard to talk, but apparently the captain got the idea.

"You didn't have to come by just to drop off the paperwork. You could have turned it in when you came back next week."

"I'm supposed to call and tell you when I'll be back, Captain." Amy was aware of the way her words slurred together, but didn't see a way around that problem.

Maybe she should've waited a few more days. For the swelling to go down more. The captain was looking closer and closer to tears, and despite her earlier thoughts, seeing the captain so close to tears was suddenly very uncomfortable.

"You could have sent a text or email."

Oh.

She honestly hadn't thought about that. The painkillers must be affecting her more than she thought. She'd have to find another way home. Driving in this condition suddenly didn't seem like a good idea.

"I wanted to get out for a bit." Amy shrugged, and resisted the urge to turn her swollen lips upwards into a smile that would look more like something from a horror movie.

She watched a smile tug at the captain's lips, and realized the woman on the other side of the desk didn't believe her. Damn.

"I see."

The inflections in the captain's words made Amy feel like a child who having just said something that seemed ridiculous to an adult was left feeling slightly embarrassed as they watched said-adult try not to laugh. Amy almost laughed, again.

"Or, maybe, I didn't think about it," Amy admitted though lips that would only open about centimeter.

"I'll have Julio drive you home in your car. Buzz can follow and bring Julio back here."

Nothing got by this woman. Amy made a note to remember that. She started to stand.

"Thank you, Captain."

The captain stood as well, and after only a moment of hesitation moved around the desk, and, very carefully, gave Amy a brief hug.

Amy's arms returned the hug without her telling them too. Which was probably a good thing considering the shock was rendering her unable to think.

"I'm glad you're all right, Amy. Now, go home and rest. I don't want to see you here for at least another week."

"Yes, ma'am," Amy answered automatically. She wasn't sure if the surrealism of the moment was because of the pain meds or the shock of the hug.

The captain smiled at her again before opening the door and proceeding her out of the office, heading purposefully towards Julio while motioning Buzz over.

Amy began to follow, but glanced at the sign again.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. All right. This was going to be fun!

* * *

><p><strong>So, what are your thoughts on tonight's episode? The adoption? And, yeah, sure, tell me if you liked Sykes thoughts on the sign, too. :P<strong>


	6. Assistant Chief Taylor

**So, Taylor was only slightly less difficult than Buzz. **

**Takes place just after The Shame Game.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Assistant Chief Taylor**

_Work With Me People_

It was an experience that was for sure.

He moved his eyes from the sign to the boy she was talking to, as she sat in a chair beside Rusty. It was strange to see her not be behind her desk. The boy had come running through the Murder Room screaming for her a few minutes earlier. He had started rambling on about his father, and how he didn't want to see him and how life wasn't fair and yadda yadda yadda. She ushered him into her office before she then left to send Daniel away. When she came back, she went straight back to the kid.

How she tolerated the kid's constant whining, he didn't know.

He thought that she'd be happy to dump the boy with his father and be rid of him. She had raised two kids already. _Alone_. Why would she want to raise another? One that wasn't even hers.

And she hadn't spared Taylor a single look as she did all of that for the boy. She certainly let one know where one stood in her books. And without saying a word, too.

Not that he cared much. Taylor had been on his way out anyway, and had only stopped in the Murder Room to talk to Provenza for a moment. It wasn't like he needed anything from her, but when the kid had come screaming through…he'd decided to wait and see what happened.

He really couldn't wrap his head around it. Why would she care about this kid? What made him different than the hundreds…thousands…of other children out there?

Maybe it wasn't the kid. Maybe it was her. He'd known her for practically his entire career, and never had he seen her cry.

Until today.

Well, okay, she hadn't really been crying. But she'd been close. Closer than he'd ever seen before. He didn't find out what had happened until after it was over. Provenza had filled him in quickly while he waited for her, so they could head to the morgue.

He'd come out of his office to find the man that would turn out to be their murderer, and instead had practically been run over by the captain. She wore heels every single day and never once faltered in them. But she somehow hadn't seen him and collided into his chest.

It was her voice as she apologized that had given away the fact she was near tears.

He'd been too shocked to reply.

_Work With Me People_

He wondered who gave her that sign.

Probably a lawyer friend of hers. She knew enough of them. Hell, the women knew everyone in the city. Everyone that mattered anyway. There had been times when he'd gone for coffee with someone he needed to pretend he liked, only to see her at the café talking with someone else he had to pretend he liked. Things got awkward when she knew the person he was there with, too. Well, awkward for him. She acted like seeing people outside of work was the most natural thing in the world. He should consider making her Miss Congeniality of the LAPD.

She'd probably shoot him for suggesting it.

And not with a beanbag gun.

That was something that had taken him some time to understand. She had a reputation. She could hold a grudge. No one in the LAPD liked her. She was the Wicked Witch of Internal Affairs.

But at the same time, she wasn't.

She cried sometimes, apparently. She had lunch out with friends. She was a mother. She was a police officer. And the list went on.

_Work With Me People_

There was a learning curve when it came to working with her. She knew how to run a department effectively. She did amazing things when it came to keeping a budget.

She expected that those around her be just as competent as she was. She tolerated nothing less.

Thursdays were the Heads of Department meetings. Almost every Thursday started out with him saying, "Once again, only one department has managed to stay under budget."

It was always Captain Raydor's department. Not that she never went over the weekly budget. Some cases called for it. He had a feeling, though, that come the end of the year that she'd be exactly on budget.

According to Chief Pope, she'd run Internal Affairs the same way. When she oversaw them, they were the most efficient department in the LAPD. They still did a damn good job at upholding her legacy even without her supervision. They weren't as…nice without her, however. And good God the paperwork they produced...

_Work With Me People_

Movement pulled his eyes from the sign.

She was standing up now gathering her own things while Rusty did the same. The boy was watching her like a hawk the whole time as though afraid she'd suddenly run off. He saw his own kids do that sometimes when they were small and something had upset them. They'd usually do more than watch. They'd cling, too. Actually, cling. Their little fists would ball up around either shirt tails or pant legs or skirts, and they'd cling like nothing else. His wife would do exactly what Sharon was doing now. She'd go about whatever she was doing completely unphased.

It must be a mother thing because whenever his kids tried that with him, he ended up carrying them so he wouldn't trip.

Once the kid had his backpack slung over his shoulder, Taylor half expected to see the boy rush to her and grab on to the sleeve of her jacket.

He didn't. The boy watched her as she walked to the door and held it open for him, flipping the light switch off as he stepped past her. The kid barely moved away from her, though. He stayed as close to her as he could without actually touching her.

She seemed to be having just as hard a time not touching him. As they began walking towards the exit, he saw her hand come up and hover over his back for just a moment before it changed directions, and crossed her chest latching onto her purse strap instead.

"Goodnight, everyone. Great work, today. I'll see everyone Monday," she said politely, as she walked past, Rusty by her side. Automatically, she spoke to the boy next. "Say 'goodnight,' Rusty."

"Night," the kid said, and waved at Buzz as he walked by.

Her team echoed the sentiment.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Yeah. He could live with that.

* * *

><p><strong>Is it Monday, yet? Jack will be back on Monday, and I'm insanely excited about that. <strong>

**Tell me your thoughts on Taylor's musings. **

**Lt. Tao is up next! **


	7. Lieutenant Tao

**Takes place near the end of Dismissed with Prejudiced, after Mr. Reichman is arrested, but before Tao takes the girl to say goodbye to her father.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Lieutenant Tao**

_Work With Me People_

"Are you sure about this, Mike?" The captain's voice drew his eyes from the sign.

"He made a deal to spare his daughter from going through another trial. That's got to count for something," Mike replied, leaning forward, his elbows rested on arms of the chair in front of the captain's desk.

"He manipulated her." Raydor replied. The knowing tone in her voice caused Tao to tilt his head to the side. That was curious.

"He's her father. She'll want to say goodbye to him. She deserves that much after all she's been through."

"After all, _he_ put her through."

Again, the conviction Mike heard in her voice caused him to look at her questioningly, but he didn't reply. The captain leaned back in her chair, staring at him. He wondered what was going through her mind. He knew she wouldn't say 'no' to his request because she never said 'no' when any of them asked her for something.

_Work With Me People_

He hadn't been overly surprised when she'd been picked as Chief Johnson's replacement. He wasn't thrilled about it. She wasn't a very friendly person. His oldest son was friends with her son, and while attentive to her son and his friends, she'd never gone out of her way to be overly friendly. She was polite and cordial, but distant.

He didn't really _like_ that she was put in charge, but he wasn't surprised by it. Provenza and Flynn had been angry. Julio was still devoted whole heartedly to Chief Johnson. Buzz, well, he liked _nice_ people.

Mike didn't really care who was in charge, to be honest. His job remained the same, and as long as whoever was in charge let him do his job, he was fine with it. She let him do his job. She appreciated his work, and made an effort to listen and understand what he was talking about.

Not that he didn't feel for Provenza. The man had never wanted to be in charge until he was in charge, and he liked it. To have that taken away from him, and given to someone with no experience working homicide…well, he could understand the anger. But at least Captain Raydor knew and understood that Provenza had the experience she lacked. She needed Provenza, and she knew it. And Provenza knew it. And Provenza knew that she knew it. And she knew that Provenza knew that she knew it.

It was all very convoluted and synergistic.

And made for some great entertainment.

_Work With Me People_

He'd watched Provenza and Raydor yell at each other that morning. Probably over the flight he'd offered to pay for. He could just imagine that conversation. Provenza would have done most of the shouting, while the captain grew steadily more impatient with his lack of understanding. Provenza would have claimed that the captain wasn't on Mike's side. That she was acting like he'd screwed this case up from the get go. The captain would be the Spock to Provenza's Kirk, claiming that what she thought didn't matter. All that mattered is what the court had decreed, and that they needed to work with what they had. Even if it meant starting over from the very beginning.

Which is what had happened.

It was too bad he couldn't have been in the room with them during that conversation. It must have been amusing. The looks on their faces certainly were. Provenza's waving arms…the captain's eyes narrowing while her jaw tightened…maybe he could convince Buzz to bug her office…just so he could listen to their "conversations."

Regardless. They had worked out the bugs in the case. He had been right. Well, okay, Provenza had been right, too.

It _is_ always the husband, after all.

Unless, of course, it's the wife. Not that he'd ever mention that Provenza. Maybe he should. Or, better yet, have Amy do it. Provenza always saved the best looks for her.

_Work With Me People_

Provenza wasn't always right, of course. He was wrong about the captain, for example. She was on Mike's side. She was on all of their sides because they were all on the side of catching the bad guys.

Though, she did have a way of following the rules to the letter with very little wiggle room. It had been a frequent issue with the others, Mike knew. They all had their own way of doing things, which meant sometimes bending rules.

Sharon Raydor did not bend rules.

She did, however, know how to use them to her advantage.

She always tried to do the right thing. Even if it wasn't easy. The right thing to her was to follow the rules. He couldn't fault her for that. It was probably what made her a good department head for IA all those years.

As he watched her for a few minutes, he found himself wondering if they could ever stump her about the rules. Take bets even. Did she even make bets like that? They could probably get her to agree to it just once. See if she knew ALL the really obscure LAPD rules.

She'd probably win.

But it would be fun to see.

_Work With Me People_

"He doesn't care about her, Mike," Captain Raydor spoke so softly then that Mike barely heard her. He focused his attention back to her as she continued speaking quietly. "He only cared about getting out of prison. He only cared when she was useful to him." He could hear the faint sound of distain in her last sentence.

Mike nodded his head. "That's probably true, Captain, but she doesn't need to know that. She just needs a little bit of closure."

"Okay." She agreed, but Mike could still hear the trepidation in her voice. "Let Provenza know what's going to happen."

"Thank you, Captain." Mike flashed her a small smile in gratitude as he stood up, and moved towards the door.

He glanced at the sign one more time.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Why not? They were all on the same team.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? I know a couple of people were looking forward to Tao. I hope I didn't disappoint. Julio is next. In fact, as soon as I post this one I'll post his. :D <strong>


	8. Detective Sanchez

**Takes place a day or two after Rusty gets beat up in Cheaters Never Prosper.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Detective Sanchez**

_Work With Me People_

His eyes only briefly flickered to the familiar sign.

"Your plan is complete bullshit, ma'am," Julio blatantly informed her.

He could feel the fingers of his right hand bite into his left wrist. He didn't release his hands from behind his back. He worked to keep his face as still as possible.

The captain took one last sip of her tea before very slowly placing it aside. "Is that so?"

"Yes, ma'am. Complete and total bullshit." He didn't care if he was being insubordinate, or if she sent him to months of sensitivity training for swearing at her.

She'd told all of them what Daniel Dunn had done to Rusty when she'd arrived at work that Monday morning. She hadn't shown them the pictures. She probably guessed what their reactions would be and had decided to keep that secret for the time being in order to secure their support first.

It had worked.

She'd convinced everyone to agree with her without them even realizing they didn't have the whole story.

Julio thought that when she said Dunn had given Rusty a black-eye that it was relatively minor. That the captain's presepecitive was skewed. Not that his eye was swollen almost completely shut, and his lip busted open. When Rusty had come to the station after school, Julio had been shocked to say the least. Judging by the look Sykes had given him, that shock had been obvious.

He didn't like being caught off guard.

He didn't like surprises.

He didn't like it when people hurt children.

Rusty had practically run to the captain's office. Julio had glared at her through the open window as she somehow cuddled the kid without actually touching him. Julio didn't know how she did that. But, whatever it was, it worked. The kid was always much calmer afterwards. Rusty left the office not long after, and once he was out of sight, Julio decided he needed to speak with the captain. Without saying a word, he stood up and walked straight into her office.

Flynn had tried to stop him.

Julio slammed the door in his face.

Which is how he came to be standing in front of the captain's desk, engaged in a staring contest, his hands behind his back, and swearing at a superior officer.

He could still see the sign out of the corner of his eye.

_Work With Me People_

The kid's busted up face returned to the forefront of his mind.

A cop who didn't arrest criminals was a criminal.

He didn't work with criminals.

"He should be arrested." The words were past his lips before he could stop them. He had wanted her to speak first. To put her on the defensive. He ground his teeth together so hard his jaw hurt.

Captain Raydor nodded, her eyes moved sideways probably to take note of the entire division watching. Julio doubted they could tear their eyes away.

"He should be," the captain agreed. Her eyes rose to meet his.

Julio blinked a couple of times as his own eyes narrowed. He tilted his head up ever so slightly, but kept his mouth clamped firmly shut.

"However," the captain continued at a steady pace. "That will not work out to Rusty's advantage in the end."

Julio waited.

So did the captain.

_Work With Me People_

The sign was making him angry. When he found out who bought it for her, he was going to break it over that person's head. If working with her meant that child abusers wouldn't go to jail, he'd either transfer or quit.

"Let. Me. Arrest. Him," he spoke as steadily and firmly as she had, the words barely disguising his anger. He wanted to arrest him if only so he could be there when Mr. Dunn fell down the stairs…two or three times, at least.

"Detective –" Captain Raydor cut herself off. "Julio, it's DCF's job to reunite families. To put them back together. Daniel is Rusty's father. Arresting him would only delay the inevitable. Daniel might go to prison after Rusty testified against him. If he doesn't get a half decent lawyer. However, in order to reduce the cost of prosecuting, he'd get a deal that would be far less than he deserves. His parental rights would not be revoked. Once he got out, DCF would require a few parenting classes then he'd be able to take Rusty if he wanted."

Julio didn't reply. Earlier she had only mentioned Rusty's lack of enthusiasm for testifying in another trial. The kid's desire to just forget about it. He wondered if she had cuddled Rusty using only words after she saw what Dunn had done to the kid.

"I'm trying _very. hard._ to do what is best for Rusty, Julio."

He stared at her.

She didn't look away.

His fingers loosened their grip, and his shoulders relaxed slightly.

He believed her.

"It…" she trailed off, pausing as though searching for the right word. "…sucks, I know."

His eyebrows creased together just a fraction in surprise. She never used words like that. "Yes, ma'am."

"If you have a better idea, Julio..."

"Shoot him."

He was surprised to see something like a smirk make her lips twitch slightly.

"That thought crossed my mind when I saw Rusty's face, too, Detective," she confessed softly to him, but the slight edge in her voice, made more obvious by its firmness, told Julio just how close she had come to doing just that.

"What stopped you?" Julio surprised himself with the question.

She tilted her head, the only sign that she was surprised by the question. "Rusty needed me."

His eyes darted to the sign.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Fine. He could get used to it.

* * *

><p><strong>Isn't Julio just so warm and fuzzy? Tell me things. All the things. Likes? Dislikes? <strong>

**Captain Raydor is next! **


	9. Captain Raydor

**So, I'm impatient, and I just wanted so badly to post this that I've barely proofread it let alone had it beta'd. I apologize in advance for the horrible grammar. **

**Takes place a few minutes after the final scene in Long Shot.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Captain Raydor**

_Work With Me People_

The sign made her smile. She had given Agent Howard a raised eyebrow and a sardonic chuckle when she'd opened the gift bag he'd handed to her a few days after her first case with her new division.

Her new division.

Filled with people whom she'd known for more years than she cared to admit to, abet, in a different capacity. And she didn't know them well. She'd been careful to always keep her distance. That distance helped her do her job. Even when their children had interacted together. Her children had met and played with some of the children (or grandchildren in Lt. Provenza's case) of her division. They'd gone to daycare with some of them. Others they met at various LAPD events. She knew Ricky still kept in contact with Lt. Tao's oldest.

She hadn't asked for this job. But, as she told them her first day in command, she had accepted it. She didn't regret that. She'd known they wouldn't like her, and she could live with that.

She had to work with them. Not go home with them.

Things had worked out better than she had imagined.

The first few weeks had been rough. She'd expected that. But she hadn't expected the complete turnaround she'd witnessed today. Even if helping Daniel Dunn come to the right decision regarding his parental rights was more for Rusty than her, the overall comradery in the room wasn't what she'd expected. Maybe she should have. She'd long known that this was a remarkable group of people. The very best the LAPD had to offer. She had to _earn_ her place as their commanding officer.

_Work With Me People_

She would never be as good at getting confessions as Chief Johnson. She was perfectly content being nothing like the Georgia Peach whose office was now hers. Not that she didn't like Chief Johnson. There were certainly things in the women she admired, but Captain Raydor could honestly say she did not envy Chief Johnson.

Why would she? She loved her life. It wasn't perfect. It hadn't worked out the way she'd imagined it would when she was young. But she loved everything she had now. She wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

Well, that wasn't completely true. There was one thing that Brenda Leigh Johnson had that Sharon envied a little. A good husband. Not that Sharon felt like she _needed_ a man in her life. She'd done very well without one for a very long time. But… she missed Jack, sometimes. Her Jack. The Jack she'd married before he'd thrown away everything for alcohol and gambling. Sharon couldn't help but wish that he would stick with AA- like Fritz Howard had- and become the good person she remembered.

But that wasn't going to happen today. It may never happen. And she would be okay with that, too.

She'd called Chief Jon- _Brenda_ to thank her for the gift. They'd stayed on the phone for a fairly long time talking. They'd even talked though Rusty's complaining that he was hungry and was Sharon like _ever _going to start cooking? And if not could he like order pizza or _something_?

Brenda had laughed at her over the phone throughout most of that conversation. That had made it very difficult to not laugh at Rusty. Now, a couple months later, they occasionally talked and went out to dinner.

It was definitely a start.

_Work With Me People_

Provenza had been the most difficult, of course. The moment that Chief Taylor had told her his plan she'd known what Provenza's reaction would be. She couldn't blame him for being upset that she'd been transferred making her his commanding officer by default. She would have rather had the promotion, and not the transfer truth be told.

She'd grown comfortable in IA. She knew her job there, and she knew it well. The transfer had been jarring to say the least. However, she knew how to command. How to lead a team. She didn't have to know everything, all she had to know were everyone's strengths, and how those strengths could best be applied in a given situation. She had practically been part of the Major Crimes division since she'd tried to help Brenda become the new Chief of Police over a year ago (or was it two years, now?). She'd had plenty of time to watch them. She knew a lot of their strengths already.

Provenza was possibly the only person in the LAPD who knew more people than she did. He understood the police bureaucracy so well that if he'd really wanted it he could have been the Chief of Police decades ago. But he hadn't wanted it. Others had. Sharon did, if she were totally honest. Now, that Provenza had a taste of being in command, however, he did want it. Some of it. She doubted he'd ever want to be Chief of Police or even Assistant Chief, but he wouldn't object to having her job.

She smirked. Until he had to go to a department head meeting, that is, then he'd probably be more than willing to give the job away. Maybe she'd take several weeks' vacation at once next year, so he'd be in charge long enough to go to a couple of those…

Who knows, in a couple of decades she and Provenza might find themselves having dinner and a drink occasionally while complaining about the Police Bureaucracy and showing each other pictures of their grandchildren (great-grandchildren in Provenza's case).

Like that would ever happen.

_Work With Me People_

Andy had come to her side much more quickly than she'd anticipated which surprised her to no end. She'd had more run-ins with him in IA than any other member of Major Crimes, including Julio. And as he'd pointed out to her he'd been cleared every time.

She had been pretty sure he hated her more than any of the others. Police Officers like him usually did. So, the first time he'd stood behind her supporting her decision in front of everyone, including Taylor she'd almost been shocked speechless.

Unlike with Provenza, however, she could almost pinpoint the exact moment Andy had started to come over to her side. It was when Rusty had run off a couple of weeks after coming under her guardianship. After his mother stood him up at a zoo.

She could tell when Andy had walked into the murder room that night that he was more than distraught that Rusty had run away while under his supervision. He looked broken. It was a look she'd seen on Jack's face from time to time. Unlike Jack however Andy was truly a _recovering_ alcoholic. Andy was trying very hard to be the sort of person his children could be proud to call 'dad.' She knew that he'd never lose Rusty because of carelessness or neglect.

Andy reminded her of Jack. The two of them had almost been friends once. Or, at least, as close to friends as a homicide detective can be with a court appointed attorney. Andy gave her hope that one day Jack would hit rock bottom, take AA seriously, try to reconnect with their children, and maybe reconnect with her, too. If that ever happened she'd help Jack as much as she could without allowing him to use her, again.

She could help Andy, though, now. In small ways. By telling him that it wasn't his fault that Rusty had run off, for example.

She could do that.

_Work With Me People_

Mike somehow was always on her side in the sense that he believed in doing the job and doing it right.

He'd never seemed phased by her transfer. Aside from a bit of confusion when Provenza had handed her the phone before Mike knew about her transfer things couldn't have been smoother. He was happy as long as he was left to do his job. He would have done very well in IA.

In some ways she knew him better than any other member of her team thanks to his oldest and Ricky. Ricky was almost year older than Mike's oldest son. The two had been in daycare together when they were very young, and always seemed to find each other at various LAPD family events. They weren't best friends, but had enough similar interest to bridge the age gap. It hadn't happened often, but a few times a year, if she were busy, sometimes Mike or (usually) Kathy would take the boys to or pick them up from whatever they were doing at the time. And likewise if Mike and Kathy were both busy she'd run after the boys.

But she'd never been friends with them. Being in IA didn't make one popular. Also, professionally, she couldn't afford to see Mike as a friend. Regretfully, that meant making excuses for never having dinner with Tao's family when they'd asked. And they had asked. Several times.

She wondered if it was too late to take them up on the offer now…or invite them to her place for dinner. Mike's youngest was about the same age as Rusty. She'd have to talk with Mike about it, and let him talk about it with Kathy. She could see this working out, and it would give her a chance to make up for all the turned down dinner invitations.

Why not? They were all on the same team.

_Work With Me People_

Julio had been tricky. He was loyal to a fault, but you had to earn his loyalty first.

He didn't give it easily.

He'd been willing to _work_ with her without too much prompting, but giving her his trust and loyalty…well…that had taken time, and work. She'd earned some of his respect when she'd made that incredibly lucky shot with a beanbag gun, but a little bit of respect for a person's shooting skills does not equal loyalty. It's merely a foot in the door.

She could pinpoint almost every action that had earned her more and more of Julio's trust. For a man of few words Julio had a way of letting you know when you did something he admired or respected. Very rarely did he use words to let you know it, however. She'd never worked with someone like that before. Oh, she'd investigated them often enough, but never worked daily with someone so intensely loyal.

It would take work on her part to be deserving of that loyalty, and work to maintain it. But it would be well worth the effort. Having that sort of loyalty…

She could get used to it.

_Work With Me People_

Amy had been willing to work with her from the start, of course. Wanted to, in fact, because it meant an advancement. Teaching her to work with the others, as well, had been the challenge. Not that Sharon really _taught_ her detectives. She expected them to learn, if they needed help with anything she'd make sure they got it if not from her than from someone else. However, she wasn't the sort of person who'd hold someone's hand and walk them along step by step.

Sharon could understand Amy's desire to advance. Sharon couldn't say she'd ever been as blinded by it as Amy could be at times. But that desire was the one thing she and Amy had in common. Possibly the only thing.

Not that she didn't like Amy. The young detective was very good for her ego, and at Sharon's age she valued those compliments that much more. More importantly, Amy was very competent. Her yearly evaluations showed her to be someone who was driven, and a valuable asset to SIS. Expertise that even Provenza admitted had been valuable from time to time.

However, Amy could be a little _too_ driven at times. Striking a balance between her exuberant determination, and not grading on everyone's nerves is something that would come to Amy in time, Sharon was sure. Until then...

Sharon felt herself smile again thinking of the faces Provenza directed at Amy.

This was going to be fun.

_Work With Me People_

Buzz had obviously been around police officers too long. He'd adopted their sense of humor.

In some ways, he was completely naïve to some of the horrors human beings were capable of despite working in a police station. Despite listening to criminal confess constantly. She had no idea how he managed that, but hoped he taught Rusty how to do that: how to be surrounded by something without letting it completely change who you are. Without letting the bad things around you hurt you.

She needed to find a way to thank him for all the babysitting he'd been doing for her, and for helping Rusty study. She could pay him, but that didn't seem like enough. No, she'd have to think of something special for him. He'd wanted to be a police officer, but had gotten a film degree instead. Maybe…she'd have to look into it…maybe he could be a reserve officer…? She would mention it to him. Give him something to think about at least. She'd gladly help him in any way she could.

Buzz was an invaluable member of the team. They should find a way to show him that.

They sorta needed to.

_Work With Me People_

Taylor was easy enough to deal with. If she could control her eye rolls around him. She didn't always try to control them. He needed the occasional reality check. Sometimes he got a little too big for the Assistant Chief of Police's office.

It could be worse, however. He was better than Pope in some ways. At least Taylor didn't try to sleep with everything that walked by wearing a skirt. He wasn't a pathological cheater who gave promotions to his mistresses. And if he did he was more discreet than Pope. She very much appreciated that.

To be fair, he wasn't that horrible. He was easy enough to keep happy. As long as she didn't go too far over budget he was usually pleased. As long as she didn't make it obvious his option didn't really matter to her it worked. It was simple enough.

Occasionally, he liked to pretend he knew more than everyone else. Having raised two teenagers, however, and having another one in her house acclimated one to that attitude. His own teenagers' attitudes must have rubbed off on him. That couldn't make his wife happy.

She felt her lips try to tug up in a smirk. Luckily, her blinds were closed or her team would think she'd finally lost her mind.

Taylor was a necessary obstacle she had to maneuver and work with to do her job. But, what job didn't involve maneuvering, manipulating, and working with the boss?

She could live with that.

_Work With Me People_

Andrea was easily becoming her favorite DDA, and she even looked forward to having lunch with her every-other Thursday. It was a good way to recover from the Department Head meetings.

The DDA also kept her up to date on the goings on in the DA's office. Brenda wasn't very good at gossip, but Andrea knew everyone. She was a valuable friend to have. Also, Andrea was someone she could complain to in regards to the joys associated with raising teenagers. Not that she didn't care for Rusty a great deal…lately she'd found herself thinking of him as one of her own. She'd tried very hard not to, but…Anyway, sometimes getting that sort of thing off her chest was beneficial to not only her sanity, but to Rusty's continued existence.

Andrea was also very good at her job. As far as DDA's went Andrea Hobbs was one of the best. Her years of experience working with police officers, instead of making her bitter towards them, had given her a useful insight. An insight Sharon appreciated. Even if Andrea did sometimes speak to her team as though they were children determined to break the rules, and not get in trouble for it.

Even so, there were worse lawyers out there than Andrea.

With a shake of her head she picked up her purse and coat.

Until the next deal then.

_Work With Me People_

She turned around at the sound of her door opening.

Rusty bounced in, and collapsed into the green chair that he thought was put there just for him. He was grinning so much that it must have caused his busted lip to hurt.

She smiled back at him.

It was good to see him smiling again. He didn't do nearly enough of it anyway, but since he'd come home from Daniel's last week she hadn't seen him smile even once. She'd seen him cry, however. The night he came back from Daniel's. He hadn't wanted her to see, of course. She'd wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and take the hurt away. Neither got what they wanted that night.

"Are you ready, yet, Sharon? We've been waiting for you like _forever." _

She adjusted her purse over her shoulder. "You're the one sitting down, young man."

Rusty rolled his eyes as he stood up, but his smile wasn't leaving anytime soon it seemed. She was okay with that.

"Where did everyone decide we were eating?" She asked walking towards the door with Rusty close beside her.

"The Italian place on Central."

She smiled nodding. After Daniel had left, and the papers signed, Andy had suggested they all go out together for dinner. There had been no objections.

Rusty was talking a mile a minute to her about his favorite foods at this restaurant. She had a feeling the decision on where to eat had been more his than anyone else's. With a smile of her own she followed Rusty out, and was greeted by her whole team waiting on them.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Yes. They most certainly were.

* * *

><p><strong>So? Thoughts? There's one more after this, and then this series of oneshotsepisode tags is complete! **


	10. Special Agent Howard

**Takes place after Reloaded.**

* * *

><p><strong>Work With Me People<strong>

**Special Agent Howard**

_Work With Me People_

"Brenda? Honey? Are you home?" Fritz stared at the sign sitting on the table. Underneath and around it, shopping bags, their contents removed, and tissue paper were thrown every which way, littering the large dining room table.

"In here!" Brenda's voice came from the direction of the bathroom. "I'll be out in just a minute!"

"Okay!" He couldn't take his eyes off the bags. Expensive looking bags. Brenda didn't usually shop like that. Retail therapy was not something she engaged in. One usually did not get forced into retirement and go on a shopping spree. Stroh must have had more effect than he thought.

He heard the toilet flush, and knew Brenda would be joining him soon. He took his coat and tie off moving to sit down on the couch.

_Work With Me People_

He wondered how well that sign would go over in her new office. He smirked at the thought. He could only imagine the DA's reaction to that once he got to know her properly. Maybe he could set up a camera…

"Fitzy!" Brenda bounced on the couch practically landing on top of him, and he couldn't help but smile as her lips met his in a quick kiss. He hadn't seen her this worry and care free for a while. Maybe "retiring" from the LAPD was the best thing to happen to her.

Brenda leaned against the arm of the sofa and worked her feet under his leg before speaking again. "How was it workin' with Captain Raydor instead'a me? Did you close your case? "

"She did close her case. And wrapped it up with a bow. And made Taylor very happy."

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Of course, she did. I bet she was brown-nosin' up to him the whole time too."

Fritz smirked, his hand moved to her leg gently moving up and down her calf a few times before resting on her knee. "Not really."

"What's she goin' to do 'bout, Rusty?" Brenda wiggled her toes underneath his leg.

"Well, at one point she threatened to send him to a juvenile detention center." His finger traced a lazy circle around her kneecap.

"She didn't! Oh, that w_oman!_" She sat up straighter, and her mouth hung open in outrage for a moment. "Doesn't she know what that boy has been though? It's bad enough his own MOTHER abandoned him, and he survived by—"

"Hey, hey." Fritz couldn't help an amused smile. "Don't get angry until you find out what she actually did with him."

"Oh, no. No, no, no…."

Fritz was half expecting her to run out of the room and change clothes before storming down to the station to straighten Sharon Raydor out for whatever it was "that woman" did that Brenda didn't even know about yet.

"What did that woman do?"

Fritz leaned in closer to her, the hand that was on her knee slid down her thigh before finding its way to her waist. "What's the information worth to you?"

Brenda leaned in closer to him, their faces were inches apart. He could almost taste her lips. "How good's the information."

"Oh, it's really good. Really. Really good."

"From a reliable source?"

He nodded, and his fingers slid around her waist to her back trying to encourage her closer. "From Captain Raydor herself."

"Really?" She leaned in past his lips to whisper in his ear. "Why don't I just call her then?"

Fritz stopped all movement. He should have seen that coming.

Brenda moved away from him and began searching for her phone.

"I don't think she'll be in the mood to talk to you right now," Fritz said, putting his feet up on the couch.

"Oh? Why not? You said the case was closed. And I did promise to call her when I got back in town." She moved to the table searching through the bags and tissue paper. And the sign.

_Work With Me People_

"Because she's probably at home trying to get Rusty settled in."

Brenda stopped her search and paused from a moment before spinning around and walking back towards him.

"What?" She sat on the edge of the couch, and he turned to allow her more room against his stomach.

"She took him in."

"She didn't!"

"She did."

"After threatening to send him to a juvenile detention center?" Her mouth hung open.

Fritz smirked at her outrage. "Yep. And the kid can't stand her. The guys were even taking bets on which one of them will survive until next week."

Brenda thought about that for a second. "Who did you bet on?"

Fritz raised an eyebrow. "My money is on Sharon."

This time it was Brenda who raised an eyebrow. "I'd have bet on Rusty."

"Why?"

"He's a street smart teenager with a ridiculously smart mouth. She's a good Catholic girl who's never even dreamed of breakin' the rules."

"She has two kids of her own." Fritz shifted again on the couch to face her better. "And according to Provenza- who bet on the kid not surviving the week – she practically raised them on her own."

"I'm guessin' her children never lived on the streets. And, honestly, Fritzy, what child could possibly enjoy living with that woman. She probably has a rule for everything. Ohh…poor Rusty. Maybe I should call and check on him."

"Good idea. Make sure she doesn't eat him for breakfast."

"Ha…Ha…" She rolled her eyes and leaned fully against him. "Maybe we could volunteer to take him in. After everything he's been through, he doesn't deserve to have to live with her, too."

Fritz sat up a little. "Honey, I don't think there's a better place in the world for him right now. His mother is an addict. He's never had any rules to follow. He probably never knew what sort of person she'd be when she was home. Trust me on that." He paused and Brenda leaned fully against him. He pulled her closer. "He'll say he hates it and throw tantrums at every corner, but reasonable rules and some predictability are probably exactly what he needs. Especially with someone willing to negotiate some things and set expectations for him."

"She's horrible," Brenda whined. "And stubborn." She sighed. "She's absolutely horrible and won't give up on him, and will provide him with a stable environment."

Fritz nodded.

"She'll never let him get away with anything."

"Hmm…"

"That woman will never let him stay up late to watch TV… or let his room get messy…or anything that goes against the rules."

"In order to stay up past bedtime, you have to have a bedtime to begin with."

"She's horrible."

Fritz smiled. "She is."

Neither said anything for a moment. Brenda broke the comfortable silence. "Did you see the office warming gift I got her?"

Fritz found it odd not to be surprised by Brenda's seeming change in attitude. "No. You didn't buy her a broom, did you?"

Brenda ignored the comment as she got up from the couch. Walking over to the table, she picked up the sign Fritz had seen earlier. She got comfortable on the edge of the couch again after handing the sign to him.

_Work With Me People_

Fritz smirked. "She's going to need this. But I doubt anyone will pay any attention to it."

"I got a card and gift bag for it, too. Will you drop it off for me the next time you stop by?"

Fritz nodded. "Sure you don't want to give it to her in person?"

"I'm sure I..umm…" Brenda looked away briefly before looking back at him with eyes that begged for understanding. "I'm not ready to go back just yet."

"Okay." Fritz nodded. His hand found hers, and soon their fingers were intertwined. "What should we have for dinner?"

Brenda leaned forward and soon their lips became as intertwined as their fingers. "Let's start with dessert then see what we're in the mood for."

"Hmmm…" Fritz smiled. "That is a brilliant idea."

He turned to set the sign down on the table.

_Work With Me People_

Yeah. Maybe. It was definitely a start.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, this is it. The End. Everyone has contemplated the sign. I hope having this segment of the story go back to the first episode didn't cause any confusion. Please, tell me what you think I love hearing all the things you think. <strong>


End file.
